Coming Home by M.A. Stacie Page A

head.
    Fuck," she groaned and Pax placed a warm hand
on her back. "What do I do?"
    He swept her curtain of hair behind her ear,
tilting his head so he could see her face. "I could come with
you."
    "But he—"
    "Forget what Jack said. I'm only interested
in you. Do you want me with you? Do you want Caleb? We can
both come. Your choice."
    "I don't know. I—oh God, I'm going to be
sick."
    She clutched her stomach, gagging as Pax held
her hair from her face. Nothing came up, instead her abdomen
continued to spasm, making her gasping as she heaved. She focused
on Pax's gentle touch and his soothing words. The world still spun
when she heard him call Caleb to tell him what had happened.
    "I need to go alone," Sydney said quietly,
when she finally gained some control of her stomach.
    "We want to support you, Syd."
    Turning her head, she met his sad, brown
eyes. "What do I say? How do I explain this to my
father? "
    Stroking a finger along her jaw, he shook his
head, letting his hair flop onto his forehead. "I don't know.
That's up to you. But we'll back you up, no matter what you tell
him."
    Her throat closed up, making swallowing
painful. Her chest ached, and the sensation of needing to vomit
never completely disappeared. Mentally berating herself, she
shrugged Pax off and stood up. "What did Caleb say?"
    "He's on his way up here. Said to sit tight."
Pax tugged up his jeans and he righted himself, wiping grass off
the denim. "Maybe it won't be as bad as you think."
    Sydney snorted. "You're joking, right? Making
light of this isn't funny."
    He reached out, wrapping his fingers around
her bicep and pulling her close to him. His arms banded around her,
surrounding her with his warmth. At first she remained stiff, but
he hugged her tighter until she gave in, relaxing into him.
    "I feel so bad. I don't want to hurt him, but
I don't see a way out of this mess. I've been lost in a Pax and
Caleb shaped dream land, adoring every second and not being as
careful as I should. We shouldn't have had sex out in the open, and
I sure as hell could have made certain the door was locked the
other day. I've been too blasé, locked in the haze of you two and
now I'm left with two options. Either I tell him I cheated on
Caleb, which will cause issues between the three of you. My father
would probably never forgive me. He's already warned me to make
sure I'm serious about Caleb this time. He loves you two." Sydney
groaned. "I have to tell him the truth."
    "Which may still cause issues," he
finished.
    "Probably."
    She rubbed her face into his chest, wanting
to bury herself in his calm comfort. Only when she rested her ear
against his chest did she realize Pax's control teetered on the
edge. His heart raced under his skin.
    "What's wrong?" She looked up at him, resting
her chin on his sternum.
    Clearing his throat, he pursed his lips
before responding. "If Jack knows—if he understands what's goin'
on, then there's no reason for you to run. You could stay if he
knew the truth."
    "I doubt it'll be that easy. 'Oops, sorry
Dad, I forgot to tell you I'm having sex with two men. You're okay
with that, aren't you?' Somehow, Pax, I don't think he's going to
understand."
    "Good to have a dream though."
    "And that dream's me?" Sydney asked.
    "Yup, along with Caleb." He framed her face
with his hands, tilting her head a little further back. "We work,
sweetheart, the three of us. We always have. Maybe it's strange,
completely against the norm, but you know I'm right. All you have
to do is be prepared to give this a try."
    He kissed her. "We'll take care of you."
    She'd heard those words a thousand times in
her dreams. For a reason. Because Caleb and Pax would love and care
for her. Sydney knew it in her bones. The men wouldn't let her
down. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I know you both would, but I'm
not sure I could stay here with you, knowing my father lived yards
away and hated everything I was doing."
    "So you'd rather be miserable in a different
state?" Pax